LawnWeather

North Carolina Lawn Care Calendar

In North Carolina, crabgrass preventer typically goes down between Feb 10 and Mar 30: first in Wilmington, last in Winston-Salem. Below are typical fertilizer, seeding and frost dates for Charlotte, Raleigh, Asheville, Wilmington, Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem, Fayetteville and Cary, from 2016–2025 weather data. Enter your ZIP code for this year's timing.

When to apply pre-emergent in North Carolina

Typically between Feb 10 and Mar 30, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Wilmington (around Feb 10) and last in Winston-Salem (around Mar 8). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

CityCrabgrass preventer window
WilmingtonFeb 10 – Mar 7
FayettevilleFeb 11 – Mar 15
CharlotteFeb 14 – Mar 16
CaryFeb 18 – Mar 20
RaleighFeb 20 – Mar 20
AshevilleMar 5 – Apr 11
DurhamMar 7 – Mar 20
GreensboroMar 8 – Mar 29
Winston-SalemMar 8 – Mar 30

Cool-season lawn calendar

Lawns in Raleigh, Asheville, Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem, Cary are mostly cool-season grass (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass).

CitySpring fertilizerOverseeding & seedingFall fertilizer
RaleighMar 13 – Apr 17Aug 30 – Oct 19Sep 25 – Dec 5
AshevilleApr 4 – May 9Aug 13 – Oct 2Sep 7 – Nov 24
GreensboroMar 22 – Apr 26Aug 28 – Oct 17Sep 21 – Nov 28
DurhamMar 13 – Apr 17Aug 28 – Oct 17Sep 21 – Nov 26
Winston-SalemMar 23 – Apr 27Aug 25 – Oct 14Sep 21 – Nov 24
CaryMar 13 – Apr 17Aug 30 – Oct 19Sep 25 – Dec 2

Warm-season lawn calendar

Lawns in Charlotte, Wilmington, Fayetteville are mostly warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede).

CityFertilizerSeeding, sodding & pluggingFall pre-emergent (winter weeds)
CharlotteApr 21 – Sep 29Apr 21 – Aug 27Sep 27 – Oct 18
WilmingtonApr 15 – Oct 12Apr 15 – Sep 9Oct 12 – Nov 2
FayettevilleApr 14 – Oct 4Apr 14 – Sep 1Oct 10 – Oct 31

Frost dates in North Carolina

CityLast spring frostFirst fall frost
CharlotteMar 28Nov 10
RaleighMar 25Nov 13
AshevilleApr 17Oct 27
WilmingtonMar 14Nov 23
GreensboroMar 24Nov 11
DurhamMar 27Nov 11
Winston-SalemMar 30Nov 8
FayettevilleMar 21Nov 15
CaryMar 25Nov 13

Median dates, 2016–2025. A dash means frost does not occur in most years.

Frequently asked questions

When should I put down pre-emergent in North Carolina?

Typically between Feb 10 and Mar 30, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Wilmington (around Feb 10) and last in Winston-Salem (around Mar 8). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

When is the best time to seed grass in North Carolina?

Early fall is best for cool-season grass (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass): typically from Aug 13 to Oct 19 across North Carolina, while soil cools from 65°F toward 50°F.

What type of grass grows in North Carolina?

North Carolina spans both zones: warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede) does best in the warmer parts of the state, cool-season grass (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass) in the cooler parts.

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